purchase an IMac in a couple of days, have some questions

Will purchase an IMac in a couple of days. Went to the Apple/Mac Store near me, here is what we discussed:

IMAC (basic) 1149
Apple Care 119
OnetoOne 99
Office 149
IWord 49
Printer (HP Photo C4780) 30 (after 100 back)
plus tax == 1731

Two key questions.

1) are those figures in line?
2) suggest I get all of that from them, or just some and get Apple Care, Office, IWord other places? For example.

Is the basic enough? I think I am fine with the size of the screen. It is the power and memory I would question.

I might ask the question of buying it all on-line to MacMall or other places, but I hate dealing long distance. If something does not show, is broken, needs something -- hard to reach over the phone and internet. If you understand.

Any suggestions will help me.

Oh, back in the 1980s I had the first Mac and the MacSE -- then switched to the PC because of office work -- now it is time to switch back.

Thanks for your ideas and assistance . . . A Texas Apple

Any particular reason why you need both office and iworks? I would just pick on or the other. You can pick up apple care from amazon or other places for slightly cheaper.

Skip iWork.

What's "OnetoOne"?

Do you really need a new printer?

baggss said:

Do you really need a new printer?

Click to expand...

It's only 30 dollars. He could resell it or use it.

As said before, I would skip either iWork or Office.

Apple Care can be found cheaper on Amazon, and it is not 100% needed, but it is recommended.

Have you tried the mouse & keyboard?

Make sure you like them. If not, I would sell them ASAP.

Get the keyboard you want. There is a wired one and wireless.

The wireless one is smaller, it is not a full sized keyboard. The wired one is.

Having got rid of Office 2004 in 07 and with iWork 09 and iLife 09 i cannot see any reason to get Office unless you plan on doing accounts for a major business. iWork allows exporting in Excel if u need to, as does Pages in Word, pdf rtf. Office often did its own thing from time to time which i don't deal with now.

I have he 21.5 inch imac, and it's suits me perfect....i have had it for about 2 weeks now and i am still in love with it .....runs very fast, looks amazing, and IMO simply amazing....i did not purchase apple care with mine though....bought mine from best buy...the guy from apple said that i had a full year to decide if i wanted apple care or not. You must be getting a thanks giving special or something LOL cause mine was 1199!

Not so new (Old) Guy

iMac (basic) 1149 - I'd wait until tomorrow and check online to see what deals Apple is going to have. They're black friday deals are only available online. Personally, I'd recommend a step up to the next model to everyone.

Apple Care 119 - Not big on extended warranties - figured out a couple of years ago, if I had purchased extended warranties on every piece of electronics, appliance and auto I've bought in the last 35-40 years, I'd be out over $30,000 for nothing. Take this cash and apply it to the next higher model.

OnetoOne 99 - If you're close to the Apple store, like having someone that you can ask whatever question you've got, walk you through the steps to accomplish tasks and you'll actually take advantage of it, this could be worth every penny.

Office 149 - have not used MS Office at home since 2001. Use it all day every day at work. Seriously, I open those type of apps about twice a year at home. How about you? If you're still conducting business on this machine, are transferring Word and/or Excel files with other business partners and need full compatibility, you'll want it.

iWorks 49 - Office replacement. That's a good price. You'll have a free 30 day demo on your machine. Ask if you can come back and get it for that price when you're 30 day demo is up if you like it.

OpenOffice free - the replacement for both of the above.

Printer (HP Photo C4780) 30 (after 100 back) - Do you need another printer? Check to see if your current printer will work with OS X or not. Will you really mail in that rebate? I always fail to no matter how much the darn thing is for. Can't recommend strongly enough, get a network capable printer. Can't connect directly to your router via ethernet, don't get it. It's always a hassle sharing a printer thats' attached to a computer by comparison.



My own recommendation
iMac - $1499 - might save another $100 tomorrow by ordering from Apple online - of course, call the local store and see what they'll do.

OpenOffice - free

One to One - If you'll use it at least 5 times.

Printer - a network aware printer is going to be in the $200 range and then take the $100 rebate if you're really going to send it in

If you're not getting some sort of package deal on all that stuff, I'd wait on most (all) of it until you've settled into the Mac experience. You'll find out what software the machine comes with and what works for you and what doesn't. Also with your existing hardware. Example: OpenOffice is a free replacement for MSOffice it works pretty darn well. I agree with bobtomay on skipping the extended warranty.

Oh, by the way: Welcome to Mac!!

Thanks folks for the great input above. Many great things to think about as I move back to the Mac world.

Mac Office and writing software. My big need is Word processing. I now teach and prepare many many class handouts, send them to a secretary, she prints all of the copies. I research a ton, then create the pages -- words of course and pictures, line art, and suff from the web. The secretary needs it in MS Word (PC). So -- which is the best for that? Or, to start with . . . Plus, I have many many files on the PC I will transfer from class work and other things. I published a book 2 years ago and will need to update that resource books soon. Write articles for mystery magazines, etc.

One to One -- is one hour a week for a year with a staff person at the Mac/Apple Store. I live about 5 miles from the store here in San Antonio. I think the $99 might be worth it on dealing with photos, music, transfering the files from PC to MAC. Creative stuff I want to do, etc. If I do not use it, then I loose. But I think I would bug them a bunch.

Printer. My printer now is a 12 year old HP Ink Jet. And, it is a Ink Jet. The only good thing about it is -- it holds 42 ml of ink. Some of the newer printers only hold, like 15 or 18 ml - and I run out so fast. Plus the HP is only black.

The one I mentioned above is a 3 way deal and that would be nice. But the Ink size is somewhat small. A manager at Best Buy a month ago said the Epson makes bigger ink holders. Any suggestions here? The Mac/Apple Store has 4 printer there, and takes off $100 on any one of them. So I should take one for sure.

Some of you above suggested the next model --- do you suggest 8 memory instead of 4 inside, or the processer faster to 3.33, or the storage of 1 TB instead of 500? I figure an external hard drive is useful for some things down the road, like all of pictures/photos or music, etc. Plus, hold backup of files of documents.

Can I have some more on the Keyboard and Mouse. The keyboard at the store is really small. I do not deal in numbers or need a number set of keys on the right side. The Mouse, is that new one OK? I am a mouse guy because of the old 1980s MAC machines. I hate the touch pads and even turn off the PC laptop ones, mouse only. The rep at the store do not say they had a better mouse, and I did not ask. Or is it a third part mouse I should look at.

Right now, on my wife's laptop, mouse -- it is a new Logitch Performance MX (Dark Field) that lists for $99 I believe, and got it at Best Buy two months ago for $29 on their weekly special. I would like that one with the Mac if it is out there. It really fits the hand or palm like crazy.

I really feel you all welcomed me to the Mac Family and are very helpful. If any of you can respond to my additional questions -- great.

Enjoy this day, A Texas Apple

Open Office or NeoOffice are both excellent alternatives to MS Office. NeoOffice is slightly customized version of Open Office for the Mac, but both work equally well. Both can open, edit and save MS documents, spreadsheets and presentations. I use Neo myself, but either is good.

OK, here is what I purchased this afternoon at my local Apple/Mac Store.

iMac 21.5/3.06/2x2GB/500GB/9400M - 1,098 (Black Friday pricer)
Apple Care - 119 (50 off for being educator)
iWork - 49
Apple One to One - 99
HP Photosmart C4780 - 118 (get 100 back after e-mailing Apple)

Total: with tax: 1,595 then, -100 === 1,495

Thank you all so much for your comments above. Now I can see really just what software I really need.

Task at hand now -- to move my files from the PC to the Mac. Easy said, yet to do.

I bought my iMac 3 weeks ago now. I just bought iWork with it, and that's fine, you don't need office aswel. Unless you just get office and no iWork. I don't think you need both.

ATexasApple said:

OK, here is what I purchased this afternoon at my local Apple/Mac Store.

Task at hand now -- to move my files from the PC to the Mac. Easy said, yet to do.

Click to expand...

Check this out - Belkin : Switch-to-Mac Cable

Hi Collin Bl - thanks for that site. Will look into it.

I guess where I am now is: after I open the box in a day or two (want to get my study/office space ready for all of this) --------------- do I turn left or right? What should I be doing first, second, third? I have my files (doc), pictures, music, e-mail (AOL), etc.

Suggestions . . .

ATexasApple said:

Can I have some more on the Keyboard and Mouse. The keyboard at the store is really small. I do not deal in numbers or need a number set of keys on the right side. The Mouse, is that new one OK? I am a mouse guy because of the old 1980s MAC machines. I hate the touch pads and even turn off the PC laptop ones, mouse only. The rep at the store do not say they had a better mouse, and I did not ask. Or is it a third part mouse I should look at.

Click to expand...

I got rid of the keyboard after a day, and rid of the mouse after an hour. The new tiny keyboard is really a disgrace - no keypad and other keys missing - it's a laptop keyboard being sold with a desktop machine. And it is non-ergonomic. I use an old Msoft ergonomic keyboard and it's fine and my old Logitech wireless mouse, which I used with the PC. The so-called Mighty Mouse was awful - many complaints about it on the discussion lists, and the new one doesn't seem much better. Go for what you know.

didymus, so the PC Logitech mouse will work with the iMac! Great. I love my wife's "Dark Field" new one. It fits the hand like a glove, and if I threw it like a baseball, it would have a 5 foot break on that curve.

I will try the key board first. I am not a numbers guy. Try and stay away from the numbers -- I am a picture Mac guy. I do have an ld Msoft ergonomic keyboard behind a file cabinet, so will try that as well (but it does have a cord).

Thanks, A Texas Apple